recession | scawwy ✦ karlach cliffgate

Three again.

[ Agreed, taking a drag of smoke. ]

Then again, we only caught one last week didn't we?

No, that's not right. Caught two.

[a beat. a little distant thought that sounds like what? and then:]

It's all blurring together.

Losing our sense of time too, aren't we.

Nobody would blame you. Three days felt like weeks. And now weeks go by like days.

Funny how that works out.

Can't even remember who died this last week.

[...]

Or - no. I can. [a scribble of thoughts.] I don't know why I said that.

You're doing better than most.

Many people who go to war stop counting faces after a while. Or maybe they go to war because they weren't very good at it to begin with?

I remember a lot of faces.

[...]

Not any of the devils or demons. But all of these.

Mm... well, let's keep it up then.

Wouldn't do us any good for you to start forgetting those.

... What's our plan for tomorrow?

Plan? Same old as usual, isn't it.

Show up on time, do our best acting like little detectives for a day.

Yeah, but - I mean, with -- the same as before, right? With Caelus. Disarming whoever did it, once we know. Making sure they can't hurt people.

Oh... yes. Gale did almost suffer greatly for that, didn't he.

[ SQUISHY WIZARD TRIES TO 1v1 A FERAL DUDE WITH A BASEBALL BAT AND A ROCK MORE NEWS AT 11 ]

We've lost heart pretty significantly, but we haven't lost our brains. It'd benefit us all to try to not let the same repeat.

[BENS AGGRESSIVELY MY WIZARD]

I can try to help but I don't... [she starts, and then stops.] You know - you know the breaking point. It's right there.

You don't want to?

[silence, and then:]

No. I want to.

[a scribble of angry thoughts. there's probably a rondo in there somewhere.]

Ah, there's the fire.

If nothing else, let's keep it roaring for him.

D'you think you can stop me? If I get too angry. Whoever did it - they probably didn't mean to.

...

[ Well the obvious answer is not fucking physically that's for sure, he made that clear so early on. But he seems to consider her. ]

If you want me to. Sure.

[imagine he physically tries he'd get blasted into space

she watches him for a moment.]

You're one of three people, I think, that could snap me out of it with just some words. So.

[ I think that'd be very funny. ]

Then you'll have it.

[team daan blasting off again ding]

... Thank you. [she slides down against the wall.] Not to put a weight on your back, but it makes me feel better to rely on you to do what you've got to.